The Weekly Pull List – November 16th, 2016

What’s on YOUR Pull List?

Mike Rapin

Mike Rapin

All-New Wolverine #14

Archie #14

Batman #11

Black Hammer #5

Invincible #131

Kill Or Be Killed #4

Reborn #2

Uncanny X-Men Annual

Black Hammer has been the top book on my list to read every month. It’s intriguing and absorbing and I can’t get out of the world once I get into it. Jeff Lemire knows how to do desolate uncertainty. This book is shining like his Sweet Tooth did way back when. This month’s issue looks to focus on Captain Weird, which should be an exciting tale. Everything is strange about that character.

Kill or Be Killed continues to be a seriously powerful book. Brubaker and Philips and Breitweiser are nailing this. The story so far is an all-too-real (ish) story similar to something like Criminal or The Fade Out, but it stands out in my mind because of how now it is as a book. I’ve become almost anxious to see how this arc ends, even though we’re an issue or two away from that.

Invincible is back! I can’t say more than, “I love this book.” The small rumblings of the, surely, epic conclusion of this series is beginning. I am excited.

Nick White

Nick White

Aliens: Life and Death #3

Batman #11

Black Hammer #5

Britannia #3

Dr. Fate #8

Ether #1

Green Arrow #11

Reborn #2

Snowfall #7

Give me one light week, and I get worried. Give me two light weeks of comic books, and I run for cover. Because, after that? I know what’s well on its way. And it looks like that which you see above. A torrential downpour of comics.

It’s so bad that I’ve committed one of the cardinal sins of comic collecting, getting your hands on a #2 without having read the first issue. On that note, Reborn, I’m sorry. I doubt I’ll end up not enjoying you, but this still isn’t a smart way to do things.

Aliens: Life and Death marches on, with about a half year before this seventeen issue behemoth of an event wraps, while thanks to Kate Skocelas, I’ve now got a fighting chance on getting current with Bruce Wayne’s exploits in Batman.

Mr. Jaissle wasn’t wrong when he said that Black Hammer wasn’t exactly breaking new ground with its character archetype examination…but nobody ever said you had to be original in order to be enjoyable. Artist Dean Ormston is the unsung hero on this one.

We’re halfway through Britannia going in this week’s issue. Any noticeable connections to the Valiant universe? Hmmm…nope, none I’ve noticed. Those who haven’t started this book, GET THIS IN TPB OR DIGITAL.

Dr. Fate wraps this week. Who even remembers that it survived “Rebirth?” Heck, who even remembers that it was a book before “Rebirth” took place?

Can I just say, one of the things I really love about Green Arrow is that they kept the version of Black Canary from the Brendan Fletcher and Annie Wu “DC You” run? I’m so happy that such didn’t get jettisoned alongside the multitudes of content that were.

Finally, it’s “make or break” for Snowfall. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I get anxious when approaching a half dozen issues and I’m at a loss who I’m supposed to be rooting for.

Paul Jaissle

Paul Jaissle

Batman #11

Black Panther #8

Kill or Be Killed #4

Superman #11

If you listen to the I Read Comic Books podcast, you have probably heard me rave about Kill or Be Killed by now. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips seem intent on challenging themselves and readers with this new series, which manages to be both familiar and yet different from their previous work.

The “I Am Suicide” arc continues in Batman, and so far it has been an interesting balancing act. Writer Tom King loves to include some the silliest members of the Dark Knight’s rouges gallery in this deadly serious story. This seems like a clash of tones, but I think that it makes the book more interesting.

As a casual Marvel fan, Black Panther has been a crash-course in current continuity. I like that writer Ta-Nehisi Coates decided not to reboot the character at all, but rather dropped new readers like me into the world of Wakanda. Luckily, his background as a journalist has helped me acclimate to the story and characters. Coates has also stepped up the superheroics with this arc, which sees T’Challa assembling a team that includes Luke Cage and Storm. Overall, this is a really satisfying superhero book, and I am glad I decided to jump aboard.

Kate Skocelas

Kate Skocelas

Batman #11

Black Hammer #5

Batman is off to get Psycho Pirate from Bane so that he can fix Gotham Girl. Bruce is suddenly so into her (thanks to her tragic backstory?), apparently, that he will abandon his morals and common sense to save her. (Wait, what?! Tom King come on, you’re better than this…) Accompanying him on this mission are his super-reliable and trustworthy band of villains (don’t worry, Amanda Palmer swears this always goes well), so it should be smooth sailing.

Really, artist Mikel Janen and colorist June Chung’s work is the only reason I’m still reading Batman right now. That, and the memory of what King’s writing can be like when he’s on his A game (RIP Vision series). I’m still holding out hope, but wondering how much of this is coming from editorial nonsense instead of King.

BlackHammer, on the other hand,continues to be expertly written by Jeff Lemire. This is definitely a series to watch.